Dividers or compasses



No. 6|3,8I4. Patented Nov. 8, |898.

F. BENES.

DIVIDERS 0R CMPASSES.

(Application filed Sept. 16, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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.,DlvlDl-:Rs 0R COMPASSES.

SPEGIFICATN forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,814, dated November8, 1898.

Application liled September 16, 1897. Serial No. 651,928. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANCIS BENES, of Bluff, in the county of Fayetteand State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDividers or Compasses; and l do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The invention relates to improvements in compasses or dividers such asare used by carpenters and others, the object being to facilitate anddetermine with accuracy the adjustment of the instrument for use.

The invention consists in the arrangement of means for holding the legsof the dividers at the desired adjustment and for effecting andindicating` such adjustment, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of theCompasses or dividers. Fig. 2 is a section through the toothed segment,showing a portion of the inner face of the legs of the dividers and theactuatingpinion in side elevation. Fig. 3 represents a transversesection through lthe head or pivot end of the dividers; and Fig. 4 showsin perspective the head-screw,the clamping-washer, and the thumb-nut.

1 and 2 indicate the legs of the dividers, provided with the usualexpanded and perforated head ends, through which they are connected bymeans of the head-screw 3, provided intermediate the head 4 and thescrew end or point with the polygonal portion 5 and intermediate saidpolygonal or squared portion and the head 4 with a rounded shank portion6, which passes through the head of the divider-legs and forms the pivotupon which they turn. The polygonal portion 5 passes throughthe'perforated head of the dividers to receive a washer 7, provided witha central perforation 8, conforming in shape to the polygonal portion ofthe screw 3 for preventing the rotation of the washer on said screw.

9 indicates a thumb-nut engaging the screw 3 and serving to force thewasher 7 down upon the polygonal portion thereof in such manner as toclamp the head of the dividerlegs snugly between the head 4 of the screwand the clamping-washer 7 for holding the legs against accidentalmovementordisplacement.

10 indicates a toothed segment rigidly secured at one end in the leg 1,intermediate its ends, said segment being formed in the arc of thecircle of which the screw-pivot 3 is the center. It is toothed on itsinner or concave face to engage a pinion 11, journaled in the side wallsof a Aslot in the leg 2 of the dividers through which below the pinion11 the toothed segment 10 passes. The shaft 12 of the pinion 11 isprovided upon.one end with a milled or winged head or thumb-piece 13, bymeans of which the pinion is operated for adjusting the toothed segment10 and with it the legs of the dividers as desired. This segment 10 isprovided upon one face with graduated marks indicating the distanceapart of the points of the divider-legs, said marks being indicated by ahand or pointer-arm 14, rigidly secured at a point 15 to the leg 2 andterminating in a pointer 16, overlying the marks or lines on thesegment, for showing with precision the exact distance apart of thepoints of said legs or arms and the radius of the circle which will bedescribed thereby under any adjustment thereof. The adjustment of thethumb-screw 9, as stated, prevents relative movement of the arms or legsof the dividers except when it is slightly loosened or retracted on thescrew 3 for permitting the rotation of the pinion 11 and the consequentadjustment to the arc or segment 10 of the legs of the dividers, asdescribed.

The form of the angular hand or pointer 14 is immaterial, as long as itis of a character to point with precision to the marks on the graduatedsegment 10.

By the construction described a simple and effective means foreffectingthe adjustment of the arms or legs of the dividers withprecision is provided and means also for securing said arms or legs atany desired adjustment to prevent accidental relative movement thereofafter such desired adjustment has been effected.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with the divider-legs, of a headed screw provided with acylindrical portion of uniform diameter adjacent to the IOO head and onwhich the legs are pivoted, a polygonal portion on said cylindricalportion, and a screw-threaded extension on said po lygonal portion, aclamping-Washer having a polygonal perforation for engaging saidpolygonal portion of the screw, a thumb-nut on said screw for clampingthe divider-legs between the Washer and the head of the screw, a toothand graduated segment rigid on one leg and passing through aslot in theother leg, means connected with the last-na1ned leg for effecting itsadjustment on said segment, and the pointer projected laterally fromsaid leg to overlie the graduated segment, all substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS BENES. Vtnesses:

JOHANNA WINDMEYER, C. H. WINDMEYER.

